Recovering after surgery
How long you stay in hospital depends on the type of surgery you have. If you are staying in hospital for longer than a day, the healthcare team will start planning for your discharge soon after you are admitted to hospital.
Preparing to go home after surgery
How long you stay in hospital depends on the type of surgery you have. Some people may only stay in hospital for the day.
If you are staying in hospital for longer, the healthcare team will start planning for your discharge soon after you are admitted to hospital.
A hospital discharge team, ward nurse or key worker will usually make plans for you to go home. The nurses will:
- assess what your needs might be when you go home
- involve team members to help meet those needs, such as a physiotherapist, occupational therapist, social worker or community nurse
- arrange for any equipment or services that you might need when you get home.
Your healthcare team will decide when you are likely to go home. This is known as your expected date of discharge (EDD). Your EDD may change while you are in hospital.
You should only be discharged when:
- your healthcare team think you are well enough
- you have information about any support
- you will get any support has been organised so you can safely manage at home.
Your nurse can arrange transport for you to get home if needed. If you need medicines when you go home, you will usually be given enough for 7 to 14 days. The nurse or pharmacist will talk to you about what they are for and how to take them. The hospital discharge letter to your GP will include information about your medication.
Hospital discharge letter
Before you leave hospital, your hospital doctor will send a letter called a discharge summary to your GP. You are usually given a copy to take home with you.
The letter will include information about:
- your diagnosis
- the type of surgery you had in hospital
- any medicines you are taking or any changes to your medication
- the follow-up you may need.
You should also be given telephone numbers for your hospital team in case you need to contact them. We have table of key contacts you could use to write their contact details in. Your hospital team will tell you what to look out for after you go home, and when to contact them directly. It is important to follow the advice you are given.
If you need a district or community nurse, the ward nurses will organise this before you go home. If needed, they can:
- provide help and support
- give injections
- look after catheters and drains.
Your nurse or doctor may also give you advice about things you should do to help you recover. They may also advise you about certain things you need to avoid or be careful with until you recover. Depending on your operation, this could include:
- lifting or heavy work in or around the home
- driving
- certain physical activities or exercises you usually do
- having sex.
We have more information about going home from hospital and support at home after leaving hospital.
Recovering after cancer surgery
You may have lots of different emotions after you go home. You may feel ready to get on with your life and make plans. But there may be days when you feel less positive or feel the physical effects of your surgery.
Be kind to yourself. Listen to your body and go at a pace that feels right for you.
If you need further treatment, it will not start until a few weeks after your surgery. Treatment may include:
There are things you can do to help your recovery:
- Follow the advice you were given by your healthcare team.
- Keep up with any exercises you were asked to do.
- Eat healthily. Get enough rest.
- Do some gentle exercise and build it up gradually.
You may have new challenges to cope with, depending on the surgery you had. It takes time to adjust to these changes and find out what is now normal for you.
Possible long-term effects of cancer surgery
Side effects that do not get better after treatment are called long-term effects. You may have long-term effects after cancer surgery.
There are different long-term effects depending on the surgery you have.
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Lymphoedema
Lymphoedema is swelling that develops because of a build-up of lymph fluid in the body’s tissues. You can reduce the risk of lymphoedema by never having your blood pressure taken on your arm on the side you had your surgery.
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Infertility
Surgery to remove the womb (hysterectomy) or the ovaries and fallopian tubes will cause infertility.
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Erectile dysfunction
Surgery to remove the prostate gland (prostatectomy) may cause bladder problems or difficulty getting an erection. This is called erectile dysfunction.
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Changes to how your body looks or works
Sometimes surgery changes the way your body looks or works. This can affect the way you think and feel about your body (body image). It may cause problems with anxiety or depression.
You can read more about long-term or late effects after surgery in our information about the type of cancer you have.
Follow-up care after cancer surgery
You usually meet with your surgeon and clinical nurse specialist (CNS) a few weeks after your surgery.
It is natural to feel anxious about your appointment. Taking a family member or friend with you for support can help. They can also help you to remember what was said. It is a good idea to write a list of your questions and concerns before the appointment.
It important that you get information in a way you understand, and in the language you choose. We also have more information about support to understand information and speaking up.
You may prefer to bring someone with you for support who is not a family member or friend. These people are called advocates. Advocates are independent of social services and the NHS. You can find more information about patient advocate services on the NHS website.
Driving after surgery
How soon you can drive depends on the type of surgery you had and how quickly you recover. You need to feel comfortable wearing a seatbelt and be able to do an emergency stop if needed. Some insurance policies give specific time limits, so it is a good idea to contact your insurance company to check you are covered before driving again.
If you live in England, Scotland or Wales, you can also contact the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) for advice. If you live in Northern Ireland, contact the Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA).
Results from your surgery
Your surgeon will usually explain the results from your surgery. Sometimes it may be your clinical nurse specialist (CNS) or advanced clinical practitioner (ACP). They will tell you about results from any tissue they removed for testing (pathology). They may be able to tell you more about the stage of the cancer. They will explain if you need to meet with a cancer doctor (oncologist) to talk about further treatment.
You may have chemotherapy or radiotherapy to reduce the risk of the cancer coming back. Or you might need treatment to get rid of, or shrink, any cancer that was not completely removed.
If you do not need further treatment after surgery, you will have more follow-up appointments.
Your follow-up
Your follow-up will depend on the type of cancer and your situation. You may need regular follow-up appointments at first. But over time, you might have them less often. They may be face to face or by telephone.
At your follow-up appointment, your doctor will examine you and ask how you have been feeling. They will explain if you need any other tests. Your follow-up may involve regular blood tests, scans or procedures, depending on the type of cancertype of cancer.
Some follow-up appointments might be with a clinical nurse specialist (CNS) rather than the doctor. You may have been advised about certain symptoms to look out for and when to contact your nurse for advice.
If you notice any new symptoms between appointments, you can contact your GP, cancer doctor or CNS for advice and support.
Some people do not have routine follow-up appointments. Instead, they are asked to contact their cancer doctor or CNS if they have new symptoms or are worried about anything.
We have more information about finishing treatment and life after cancer treatment.
Your feelings after cancer surgery
It is normal to have different emotions after cancer surgery. If you feel worried or anxious, talk to your clinical nurse specialist (CNS) or someone from your healthcare team. They can offer advice and information, which may help. They may be able to help you contact organisations, support groups or people who have had the same surgery.
There is a lot of support available. Talk to your CNS or healthcare team about your concerns. They should be able to help you, or arrange for you to meet with a counsellor. You can also talk to our cancer support specialists for free on 0808 808 0000.
We have more information about your feelings after cancer treatment.
Cancer Care Review
Your GP will offer you a Cancer Care Review following treatment and within 1 year of diagnosis. A Cancer Care Review is an opportunity to:
- talk about your cancer experience
- understand the support that is available in your community
- learn how to begin supported self-care.
About our information
This information has been written, revised and edited by Macmillan Cancer Support’s Cancer Information Development team. It has been reviewed by expert medical and health professionals and people living with cancer.
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References
Below is a sample of the sources used in our general surgery information. If you would like more information about the sources we use, please contact us at informationproductionteam@macmillan.org.uk
Perioperative care in adults. NICE guideline [NG180]Published: 19 August 2020 https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng180/chapter/Recommendations
Venous thromboembolic diseases: diagnosis, management and thrombophilia testing. NICE guideline [NG158]Published: 26 March 2020 Last updated: 02 August 2023 https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng158
Powell, R., Davies, A., Rowlinson-Groves, K. et al. (2023) Acceptability of prehabilitation for cancer surgery: a multi-perspective qualitative investigation of patient and ‘clinician’ experiences. BMC Cancer 23, 744. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-023-10986-0
Date reviewed
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We want our information to be as clear as possible. To do this, we try to:
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We use gender-inclusive language and talk to our readers as ‘you’ so that everyone feels included. Where clinically necessary we use the terms ‘men’ and ‘women’ or ‘male’ and ‘female’. For example, we do so when talking about parts of the body or mentioning statistics or research about who is affected.
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